January 7
Pulp writer George Bronson-Howard was born on today’s date in 1884. He is one of the many writers featured in The Beginner’s Guide to Pulp Fiction Volume 2.
Bronson-Howard lived only 38 years, but packed quite a bit of life into his less than four decades.
Born in 1884 in Maryland as one of five children, he apparently displayed a precocious knack for learning. He left school at the age of 14, though, to go to work when both of his parents died within weeks of each other. He worked for the U.S. Weather Bureau, in the office of the Secretary of the Navy, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and in numerous other civil service posts.
He served as a correspondent and reporter for newspapers including the London Daily Chronicle and New York Herald.
During his time in government service, Bronson-Howard began writing for the pulps, selling stories to Argosy, The Popular Magazine, All-Story and others. His most famous creation was Norroy, a diplomatic agent (spy), who first appeared in Popular in 1905. Those stories would appear through the 1920s and the character would also make the jump to film.
Beyond his pulp writing, Bronson-Howard published 10 books and wrote numerous plays. He also wrote and directed several silent films. Bronson-Howard committed suicide in 1922 at the age of 38.
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